Matthew 5:21-26

C. THE WISE AND GODLY MAN IN RELATION TO THE LAW
2. HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD ANGER OR HATE,
TEXT: 5:21-26

21. Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement:
22. but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.
23. If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee,
24. leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25. Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

a.

Must a Christian deplore all forms of taking human life? Why?

b.

Must a Christian support the punishment of crime, even if it means the death penalty to the criminal? Why?

c.

Can Jesus-' principle (hate in the heart equals the act of murder) be applied to society in general? If so, how? If not, why?

d.

Does Jesus-' principle remove the necessity of law for the Christian?

e.

Does His principle remove the necessity of law for the unconverted?

f.

Is it ever right to be angry? What is the difference between what is called righteous indignation and that anger here condemned by Jesus?

g.

What happens to men who allow themselves to be controlled by anger or hate?

h.

Is there any kind of order intended in Jesus-' description of the three sins? (anger, racah, fool) What makes you think so?

i.

Who is capable of judging these heart motivations that do not lead to outward, observable sin?

j.

By His phrase: but I say unto you, is Jesus proceeding to reveal the real intent of Moses-' law as one which condemned the heart's motivations as well as the outward act? Or, is He proceeding to reveal the nature of true righteousness as contrasted to the standards God gave through Moses? Explain your answer.

k.

Why, do you suppose, did Jesus word His encouragement to be reconciled in these words: and there you remember that your brother has something against you? Show His wisdom in dealing with human nature as it is.

l.

Why is it so important to settle out of court?

PARAPHRASE

You have heard that it was said to the ancients, -Do not commit murder-' and -Anyone who murders shall be answerable to the court. But I say to you that if anyone harbors malice against his brother, he must stand trial in court! Whoever heaps contempt upon his brother, must answer for it to the Sanhedrin! If anyone so much as says, -You stupid fool!-' he shall have to answer for it in Gehenna's fiery pit!

So, if you are presenting your offering at the great altar in the temple, and if at that moment of confessing your sins upon the head of that animal, you remember that your brother has a grievance against you, leave your sacrifice right there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, Then come back and present your gift.

Come to terms quickly with your opponent at law while you are going to court with him, lest he turn you over to the judge and he, in turn, deliver you to the guard who will throw you into the prison. Believe me, you will never get out of there till you have paid up in full!

SUMMARY

While the Law condemns only murder, Jesus condemns the heart's motives which flare up in selfish anger, scorn and reviling speech. One can go to hell for what he thinks, not merely for what he does, Reconciliation with an offended brother is more important than any act of worship. It is better to be reconciled and settle out of court.

NOTES

1. HARBORING HATRED IN THE HEART

Matthew 5:21 Ye have heard both from your parents (Luke 6:6-9) and from the public reading of the Law and prophets (cf. Acts 15:21) that it was said by God through Moses and the prophets. Some suppose that Jesus-' primary reference is to the scribal interpretations, but Jesus does not quote one in this entire section. Jesus is citing the Law as spoken to the ancients and makes no allusion to the relatively recent concepts of the rabbis that had arisen since the last of the great prophets and before John the Baptist. Thou shalt not kill (Exodus 20:13) This precept covered only murder with malice, not just any form of killing, since capital punishment was meted out to the murderer. Nor was this command a prohibition of war, since God deputized Israel to execute His justice upon many wicked nations. (Deuteronomy 7; Deuteronomy 20:10-18) Nor did this prohibition keep God from scourging Israel when they had sinned away their days of grace, by bringing the murderous hoards of enemy armies. (Deuteronomy 28) Whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. This is no scribal or traditional interpretation as some assume, but a quite correct summation of several laws, since, historically, the judgment of a local court had to decide the acquittal or death sentence. (Exodus 21:12-14; Leviticus 24:17; Leviticus 24:21)

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you: see on Matthew 5:20 Jesus-' Purpose. Jesus rises majestically above the authority of the scribes and Pharisees who could only cite some ancient Jewish scholar, or at best, Moses himself, to verify the orthodoxy of their teachings. Jesus-' word surpasses that of the greatest Lawgiver of the ages.

In danger of the judgment... council. hell of fire. These three tribunals, before which a man is liable to render account, are:

1. The local municipal court made up of the town elders (Deuteronomy 16:18-20; Deuteronomy 19:11-13; Numbers 35:15-32; Joshua 10:1-9; 2 Chronicles 19:4-7).

2. The Sanhedrin, or supreme court, which heard cases in Jerusalem. (Deuteronomy 17:9-13; Deuteronomy 19:15-21[?]; 2 Chronicles 19:8-11)

3. God's fiery hell. He is the only One who can destroy soul and body in Gehenna (Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4-5). Gehenna is a word with a terrible history, being the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Ge-Hinnom or valley of Hinnom (2 Kings 23:10; 2 Chronicles 28:3; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31-32; Jeremiah 19:1-13) By the time of the NT era, the phrase had come to mean the place of final, eternal punishment. (Matthew 5:29-30; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 18:9; Matthew 23:15; Matthew 23:33; Mark 9:47-48; Luke 12:5; James 3:6)

But why would Jesus list three separate courts of unequal jurisdiction as having to hear cases where no crime has been committed? Lenski (218, 219) suggests that Jesus is satirizing the casuistic method of the scribes and Pharisees. But more probably He is speaking ironically and satirizing the necessarily casuistic method of all law. This is obvious from the sheer impossibility for any human court to execute such judgments as are called for by sinful heart motives, such as selfish anger which is allowed to boil slowly in one's heart. What court on earth could call witnesses to testify regarding a man's very thoughts that never produce specific acts which the Law has defined to be sin?

Even the Mosaic Law condemned hatred (Numbers 35:20-21; Leviticus 19:14; Leviticus 19:17; Deuteronomy 19:4-13; Deuteronomy 25:3), But as will be seen from these passages, the hater could not be touched until he committed open violence.

Because men cannot rightly judge motivation, it becomes obvious that Jesus regards God as the only qualified judge before whose court men must stand.

Having seen that there is no necessary gradation in the courts before which the sinner must stand, since God is the Judge of all sin, it may be asked if there is an ascending order intended by those sentiments which bring the man into judgment. Some see the following order as representing an increasing intensity and consequently heavier liability:

1. Silent, harbored anger that is allowed to fester without expression;
2.

Railing speech, slanderous epithets, contempt, despising;

Bitter reproach or invective probably involving cursing.

These may be good interpretations of anger, racah and fool, but does Jesus intend us to understand that sins may be thus graded as to their seriousness and consequent punishment?

True, punishment will be meted out in varying degrees, according to the differing degrees of guilt. (Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 12:47-48; Luke 23:34; Acts 17:30; Romans 2:9; Romans 3:26; Romans 5:13; Romans 7:13; Romans 14:23; Ephesians 4:18) This lightens the responsibility for no one, since these passages teach the most exact weighing of knowledge, opportunities and motives. Judgement therefore is not to be varied on the basis of the relative seriousness of the sins committed, but on the basis of the quantity of light against which any sin was committed.

NO, Jesus-' purpose in mentioning three kinds of negative human passion is not to distinguish greater and lesser sins and clarify their respective punishments with a view to making better lawyers of His disciples. After all, He does not exhaust the list of all possible negative outbursts which would represent the various possible infractions of the law. Rather, He utilizes the language familiar to His day, rapidly firing three examples that will render as vivid and emphatic as possible the idea that all forms of hatred are sinful because they are out of harmony with His spirit.

Every one who is angry with his brother. Anger is an important emotion, significant because of what man can do with it, and what it can do with the man. God infused into man this ability to be angry in order to provide him emotional force against evil. ISBE notes (3113) that a man who is incapable of being angry at sin is at the same time thereby adjudged to be incapable of having a real love for righteousness. For instance, haw can, we look upon man's inhumanity to his fellows without indignation? How could we really be concerned for the least, the last and the lost unless we had the capacity for anger at that which reduces them to what they are? So thought-provoking and soul-searching is this injunction of Jesus that a scribe, while copying the manuscript of Matthew, inserted after the word angry the expression without cause. But He probably did not say it and the addition has been eliminated from all the versions based upon the oldest, best manuscripts. Even so, the unmodified word of Jesus refers to an improper anger which admits the reality of an anger that is quite in order:

1. Proper Anger:

a.

The wrath of God: Deuteronomy 6:15; Deuteronomy 29:22-28; Psalms 7:9-17; Psalms 78:38; Nahum 1:2-8; John 3:36; Romans 1:17; Romans 2:5-9; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 2:3; Ephesians 5:6;Colossians 3:6; Hebrews 12:29; Hebrews 10:29; Hebrews 10:31; 1 Peter 1:17; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 11:18; Revelation 14:9-11; Revelation 14:19; Revelation 19:15. Compare these passages which show God-s reluctance to become angry: Psalms 103:8; Psalms 30:5; Psalms 145:8; Nehemiah 9:17; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Micah 7:18; Nahum 1:3.

b.

Jesus-' Anger: Psalms 2:12; Mark 3:5

c.

Proper human anger: that quality inherent in a noble character which is stirred deeply about human wickedness. (Exodus 32:19; Numbers 16:15; 1 Samuel 11:6; 1 Samuel 20:34; Nehemiah 5:6; Psalms 97:10; Proverbs 8:13; Amos 5:15; Romans 12:9; Ephesians 4:26.) It is this latter passage of Paul that warns of the danger inherent in anger: while angry a man could very well sin against his neighbor. Even justifiable anger might lead one to commit unjustifiable acts which are to be condemned. So Jesus warns us of.

2.

Improper Anger (See Special Study on Temptations, Matthew 4:1-11, under A Matter of Desire.) If anger be the emotional expression of a basic drive (desire or instinct) to preserve self or preserve whatever is considered worthy, then it can be harnessed and used as a power for g d by an intelligent choice to be motivated by another more impelling drive or desire. For example, if I love people, even though I am angry with them, how can I sin against them? Conversely, without this intelligent, willed control, I face the situation which excites my anger and begin to lash back, trying to punish those who have thus excited me, My selfish sense of injury masters me, Depending upon the intensity of the excitement, I strike out in words or blows or even hope to kill the object of my anger which has now become a furious rage verging on madness. If I love myself more than others, when angry with them, how can I keep from sinning against them?

What does the Bible say about this kind of anger? See Genesis 4:5-6; Numbers 20:10-11(?); Numbers 35:20-21; Leviticus 19:14; Leviticus 19:17; Deuteronomy 19:4-13; Deuteronomy 25:3; Psalms 37:8 esp. in context; Proverbs 15:1; Proverbs 15:18; Proverbs 16:32; Proverbs 19:11; Proverbs 19:19; Proverbs 21:14; Proverbs 27:4; Proverbs 29:22; Proverbs 30:33; Luke 9:51-55; Romans 12:19; Galatians 5:19-20; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:8; Titus 1:7; James 1:19-20.

Thus, to the complacent soul that confidently purrs, Oh, but Jesus, I-'ve never killed anybody! Jesus shows that God-s views with respect to human life are so demanding that even selfish anger is to be punished, Whether it be that malicious hatred that explodes in passionate violence or smolders in coals of hate, waiting for the moment to retaliate, all selfish anger is condemned,

But how can the conscientious soul tell the difference between holy and unholy anger? Seek to learn the true origin and the final purpose of the anger in question:

1. What is its origin?

a. Pride, self-realization?
b. Desire to injure the object of the anger?
c. Enraged selfishness?
d. love of righteousness?
e. Hatred for sin?
f. Zeal for the honor of God and His kingdom?

2. What does this anger make you want to do?

a. Seek the injury of the person or thing that has excited you?
b. Seek only the good of him against whom the anger is directed?

Do we have anyone for whom we cannot give thanks?

Angry with his brother. To ask Who is my brother? is to play the cunning legalist, seeking to evade the force of Jesus-' strong words. It is the same as asking And who is my neighbor? (Luke 10:29), for who would dare frame such a question if his heart were full of love for any of God's creatures? (Cf. Matthew 5:43-47) Who could prove that Jesus uses it to mean only the son of your father, or anyone of your same religious society-'-'? Like it or not, we are all sons of Noah and that makes us brothers.

Whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca. Raca is an Aramaic word of contempt or scorn. Fool usually receives two interpretations, either of which could probably be right:

1.

According to the Greek idea (more), it means you empty-headed so-and-so, and is a criticism of one's intellectual capacity or alertness.

2.

According to a similarly-pronounced Hebrew word (moreh), it judges his moral character: you damned rebel.

Both attitudes are condemned as arising out of ungoverned anger. Note that a merely superficial avoidance of the word fool is not the command, since both Jesus (Luke 11:40; Luke 12:20; Luke 24:25), Paul (1 Corinthians 15:36; Galatians 3:1) and James (James 2:20) all use words which connote fool or foolish one. Rather, He proscribes the derogatory contempt that is usually implied in those terms. The principle is the same in evil speech as in murder: the evil heart is the source (Matthew 15:18-19), and if an evil heart comes up with other words than raca or fool, that despising, slanderous reproach felt in the heart is just as severely condemned by the Lord!

See with what emphatic language the sages warned against an unruly tongue and perverse speech, and how they praised kind and helpful words: Proverbs 4:23-24; Proverbs 6:12; Proverbs 10:11-14; Proverbs 10:18-21; Proverbs 10:31-32; Proverbs 11:9; Proverbs 12:13; Proverbs 12:18; Proverbs 13:3; Proverbs 14:17; Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 15:1-2; Proverbs 15:4; Proverbs 15:18; Proverbs 15:28; Proverbs 16:32; Proverbs 17:9; Proverbs 20:27, Proverbs 20:28; Proverbs 18:13; Proverbs 19:11; Proverbs 20:3; Proverbs 21:23; Proverbs 22:24-25; Proverbs 25:8; Proverbs 19:20; Proverbs 19:22.

Jesus tests not merely the consistency of our outward conduct with some laws, but the very nature of our HEART! Our heart motives must be beyond the censure of God. Jesus gives us fair warning: You will be judged on MOTIVES, not merely upon your deeds. What is in your heart will overflow in your actions. What your heart dictates, you really are, Your very motives must be so pure and right that right deeds follow, (See Matthew 7:16-20) Jesus desires to alter the main-spring of our actions. This standard of judgment is so rigid that we must not be all surprised to hear Jesus say to the best of the best men: You must be born again!

Finally, Jesus is not expounding the meaning of the Sixth Commandment, saying that: it is also broken by anger, spite, hate and contempt, Rather, His new revelation that covers this basic area of human relationships is intended to fulfil and go entirely beyond the Sixth Commandment with more stringent judgments than that good commandment could require. Before, one only suffered for murdering; now, one goes to hell just for hate! (John 3:15; Revelation 21:8)

II. HASTEN TO HEAL A HURT WHICH HINDERS HOLINESS AND HARMONY

Matthew 5:23 If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar. Jesus uses language of that dispensation then in force, but His principle applies to all forms of true, outward worship however it might be offered to God, whether in prayers, offerings, the Lord-s Supper, hymn singing or whatever. Thy gift is not specific here, since no Jew was to appear before God with empty hands (Deuteronomy 16:16-17). But the awe inspiring ceremony of presenting an unblemished animal to a holy God was calculated to remind the sinner of his unholiness. This unholiness is most practically felt in the treatment of One's fellows. The personal tension of the worshipper at the moment of his sacrifice could easily call to mind those disharmonies and struggles in his life that made such sacrificing necessary. Perhaps while laying his hands upon the head of the animal (Leviticus 1:4; Leviticus 3:2; Leviticus 3:8; Leviticus 3:13), he might be praying a prayer of confession of sins, similar to the confession made by the high priests (Leviticus 16:21), and in this solemn moment the worshipper recalls that his brother has something against him.

Aught against thee: mark that wording! There is no room here for self-justifications, rationalizations or excuses, Many suppose that Jesus-' exhortation is addressed to the offender as if he were truly guilty, but the question of rightness or wrongness in this grievance does not enter the question. Jesus deliberately avoided the decision as to who was right in the grievance or whose fault it was. He knew that men do not seek reconciliation and forgive each other because of pride. Pride is selfishness, exhibited in the self-justifications: He started it! I-'m in the right and no apologies are necessary on my part! But this disposition to claim one's right to himself is the essence of all sin. So the Lord says, You might as well not sacrifice so long as that disposition rules you. You both might have been wrong and you on your part need to forgive him! If you have not forgiven him, how can you expect God to forgive you? What good would another sacrifice do? Personal repentance may often have to precede a willingness to forgive the brother. It is even impossible to pray well unless one has shown a readiness to forgive and seek reconciliation with an offended brother. (Cf. Mark 11:25-26) If events should prove that the offended brother had no objective case against the offender, in which case worship was yet hindered until a settlement of the matter was reached, how much more is worship vitiated and reprehensible if the offender wronged him wilfully and had not yet righted the situation!

THIS IS THE MOST VITAL PRINCIPLE OF TRUE RELIGION: worship is not acceptable to God from any worshipper who harbors basic disobedience to any of God's commands in his heart! (1 Samuel 15:22; Psalms 40:6-8; Psalms 66:18; Psalms 51:16-17; Proverbs 15:8; Proverbs 21:27; Isaiah 1:11-15; Isaiah 58:5-6; Isaiah 66:1-4; Jeremiah 6:16-20; Jeremiah 7:9-10; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8; Mark 12:33; Romans 15:5-6; 1 John 2:9; 1 John 3:17; 1 John 4:20) Reconciliation, as a supreme duty, becomes more important than all acts of worship, since continuing grudges, envy, malice and secret hatreds break that all-important relationship with God. Only the pure in heart can truly worship God.

But how often the status quo is allowed to remain as days become years without one step being taken to reconcile brothers at odds with one another! (Cf. 1 Corinthians 3:1-4; 1 Corinthians 6:1-8; James 3:9-10; Matthew 18:7-14; Luke 17:1-4) How can two elders, for instance, pray together at the Lord's table when they refuse to speak to each other any other time? How can worship continue uninterrupted when two congregations of the church of Christ mutually excommunicate each other over nothing more serious than the scripturalness of one loaf on the Lord's table? How can a lady worship her God, if she knows that another's pride has been wounded and jealousy aroused by her receiving an honor rightly belonging to the other? How can brethren who use musical instruments in their praise of God hope to please Him if they have not sought diligently to be reconciled to their brethren who hold this very practice against them?

Matthew 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way. The priest would certainly understand your necessity and sympathetically see to it that your animal is taken care of until your return, (Hebrews 5:1-4) First be reconciled to your brother at whatever cost to your pride or interests; make it right with him! Barnes (54) helpfully suggests:

If you have wronged him, make restitution.
If you owe him a debt which ought to have been paid, pay it.
If you have injured his character, confess it and seek pardon.

Do not lightly dismiss a small burst of temper which hurt him, even though you might have afterwards regretted it. If the matter has not yet been healed, go to him, acknowledge your regret for having acted in so unbrotherly a manner.

If he is under an erroneous impression, if your conduct has been such as to lead him to suspect that you have injured him, make an explanation.

Do all in your power, and all that you ought to do, to have the matter settled. Jesus explains the proper procedure later (Matthew 18:15-18).

Then, having done all possible to be reconciled, do not hold the matter as a further hindrance to your worship, even if he refuses to be conciliated. Then come and offer thy gift. Mere fraternal peace does not produce automatic acceptance with God: His orders must be obeyed, His sacrifices offered. Performance of our duty toward out fellows does not release us from responsibility to please Him according to His wishes. Merely living according to a high morality by always doing what is in the best interest of our neighbor can never excuse one for not being baptized or refusing some other obedience.

III. HURRY TO HALT THE HAZARD OF A HORRIBLE HUMILIATION

Matthew 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him. This is always sound advice: it is always best to settle out of court, The brief allusion of Jesus here to a threatening lawsuit that ends disastrously for one party has been quite variously interpreted:

1.

Allegorically. Some see God as the adversary; others, the devil or Jesus. Some regard God as the judge, while Jesus becomes the adversary. The prison becomes hell from which final restoration can, in the view of some, or cannot, in the view of others, be realized after the inexorable rigors of divine justice against the hardened and impenitent sinner have been sufficiently satisfied. (Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid.)

Some see a relation intended by Jesus between God-s judgment on hatred harbored in the heart (Matthew 5:22), the suggestion that God judges sacrifices unsatisfactory until reconciliation is made (Matthew 5:24), and the judge from whose final judgment there is no escaping (Matthew 5:25-26). But in the absence of a clear statement from Jesus, who could prove that this is His meaning?

But is it really necessary to interpret this illustration allegorically? Jesus gives no clue that He thus intends it to be understood. While Luke (Luke 12:57-59) records this same story in another connection which might have overtones of God's final judgment, yet this is no necessary indication that Jesus so intended the story in this context, nor that He could not use a well-turned illustration to suggest various conclusions as their need and situation demand.

2.

Literally, Jesus is giving a piece of sound, practical advice by coming down to a lower level or argument: If your proud, obstinate hearts block your seeking reconciliation with an offended brother, because you are unmoved by the higher motives of loving concern for your adversary enough to settle with him by peaceful means, then I will talk a language you can understand. Do not let your pride blind you to the possibility that he could take you to court over your differences -nor to the ever-present chance that you might lose your case in court! So, if you refuse to seek reconciliation with your adversary until the matter goes to the judge, you have foolishly squandered your precious freedom and lost your brother too! The business of a judge is meting out perfect justice and you will get what is coming to you. You will have time in your jail cell to regret what could have been avoided by your humbly seeking a peaceful solution with your offended brother before he became your accuser-at-law!

Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing. Debtor's prisons were not uncommon, (Cf. Matthew 18:23-25) Also the Law awarded damages to be paid to the wronged party in any question (Exodus 21:18 to Exodus 22:15), If payment of such debts or damages were not forthcoming, the court could hold a man in prison until full payment be made. How this payment would be made while in prison is not mentioned here, since the point of Jesus-' story is simply that there is no time to be lost: it is always best to settle quarrels out of court. Elsewhere Jesus tells how some debts were resolved. (Matthew 18:24-25; Matthew 18:34) Consider Solomon's similar advice: Proverbs 6:1-5.

FACT QUESTIONS

1.

What basic truths underlie the OT prohibition of killing?

2.

Did the OT command Thou shalt not kill, prohibit the death penalty?

3.

Did the command prohibit war?

4,

Show the relationship between Jesus- prohibition of hate and His commanding perfect love (Matthew 5:43-48)

5.

Define hate showing its relation to love.

6.

Define anger showing its relation to hate.

7.

List several Biblical passages which demonstrate the wrath of God, the anger of Jesus, and the proper anger of the wise and godly man.

8.

Did Jesus say, Whosoever is angry with his brother without cause? Prove your answer.

9.

To whom was it said, Thou shalt not kill? Who said it? When?

10. What is the meaning of Gehenna? What is the history behind the word? What does it mean as used throughout the NT?
11. What is the general import of the words: racah, moreh or fool?
12. Describe the Jewish service at which the individual worshipper brings his gift for offering.
13. Express in your own words the vital principle of true religion that is implied in Jesus-' instructions about reconciliation with an offended brother.
14. What is the exact wording of Jesus-' statement of the nature of the dissension between two people? What is the psychological bearing of the wording upon the person addressed by Jesus?
15. What acts of practical righteousness must precede acceptable
16. What does Jesus mean by mentioning the legal case which ends worship? badly for one of the parties?